Turning the Other Mask! (Japanese: ククイ絶体絶命！もう一人のロイヤルマスク！！Kukui's Desperate Situation! Another Royal Mask!!) is the 92nd episode of the Sun & Moon series, and the 1,031st episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on October 14, 2018, in New Zealand on January 18, 2019, in Canada on February 2, 2019, in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2019, and in the United States on February 23, 2019.

Contents

Blurb

Everyone is excited when the Masked Royal announces a meet and greet at the mall! But things get complicated when Professor Burnet and Ash want to take Professor Kukui to the event…

Kukui enlists Molayne’s help to switch places and keep his secret. But James and Faba, who are both big fans, catch Molayne “stealing” the royal mask and tie him up. Unfortunately, a rival shows up for a revenge match, forcing Faba to don the mask and take to the ring!

It all works out in the end—Molayne escapes and helps Kukui get his mask back, the rival is defeated, and the Masked Royal’s secret identity is safe!

Plot

The Masked Royal has again defeated Mad Magmar and his Magmortar in a Battle Royal clash. He announces that he will be doing a meet-and-greet tour of Alola beginning with Hau'oli City's Mall. When Kukui returns home, Ash and Professor Burnet rush to the door to announce that they want to see the Masked Royal at the local mall. Kukui is left contemplating and nervous that he might finally have to reveal that he is the Masked Royal. Over at the Hokulani Observatory, Kukui visits his good friend Molayne for advice. The pair joke about the fact that Burnet hasn't figured it out yet, and Kukui reflects on the few occasions where his secret identity was nearly revealed. Kukui agrees to Molayne's idea: Molayne will impersonate the Masked Royal only when Burnet is due to see him, allowing Kukui to appear by her side as himself.

The day of the meet-and-greet arrives, Burnet and Ash are accompanied by Molayne because Kukui is supposedly late. As for Team Rocket, business is slow thanks to the Masked Royal's visit. The trio debate whether to close up their shop before James removes his uniform and rushes out. The Masked Royal competes in an exhibition Battle Royal against a Poliwrath doll. The crowd, including James and Faba, are enthralled as Incineroar bouts against a AlolanGolem and Muk doll.

The Masked Royal starts the meet-and-greet part of his visit, but Burnet has become extremely nervous and red-faced. Ash reunites with the Masked Royal, and the pair exchange a handshake. With a nod of his head, the Masked Royal calls for a break, and Molayne slip out as well. While the crowd are left scratching their heads, Faba whispers to James and reveals he knows the Masked Royal's true identity. Backstage, Kukui hands over Incineroar's Poké Ball and his mask to Molayne to do the switch as planned. As Molayne goes into the dressing room to get changed, James and Faba spot him with the Masked Royal's mask in his arms. Faba states that it's the wrong person, but James is completely convinced given that the mask has the exact details of the Masked Royal's mask. The pair sneak into the dressing room and restrain Molayne while Kukui finally catches up with Ash and Burnet. James and Faba suspect that Molayne stole the mask and begin to fight over who will take care of it.

Meanwhile, Mad Magmar has arrived onstage and demands another bout against the Masked Royal. Faba and James watch the situation from behind a curtain as they hold Incineroar's Poké Ball and the Masked Royal's mask in hand. James appears onstage as an MC, and announces the arrival of the Masked Royal. However Faba's disguise leaves Kukui and the crowd in shock. Faba climbs into the ring and sends out Incineroar, who is also left dumbfounded by the Masked Royal's drastic change. Even so, Incineroar follows orders and approaches Magmortar with a Darkest Lariat. Magmortar easily dodges the attack and throws Incineroar out of the ring, knocking Faba out cold. Kukui rushes to Incineroar as Mad Magmar declares the Masked Royal a fraud and fake. Burnet pipes up and rebuts Mad Magmar's comments, with the audience also joining in to call for the actual Masked Royal to appear.

The lights suddenly turn off and the room goes into complete darkness thanks to Molayne's Magneton. Molayne reappears and he whispers to Kukui to put the mask on. Kukui complies, and as the light returns he appears on stage in his Masked Royal costume. The crowd roars once again, and another battle between the Masked Royal and Mad Magmar ensures. Magmortar goes in for a Fire Punch, but the match is quickly over after Incineroar lands an all-powerful Malicious Moonsault. James announces the Masked Royal's landslide victory and Mad Magmar and his Magmortar flee from the stage. Kukui and Incineroar perform their classic finishing pose as the crowd follows suit and continue to cheer. Burnet becomes incredibly flustered and collapses to the floor, thankfully the Masked Royal is more than willing to help her to her feet.

Burnet and Ash later leave the mall, and Kukui soon joins them. Burnet tells her husband about her close encounter with the Masked Royal, while Kukui blushes over his wife's earlier comments. Meanwhile, Faba wakes up from being knocked out to find that his limited edition Masked Royal shirt has now been signed.

The English dub of the episode was released on Amazon Video on February 21, 2019, two days before it aired in the United States.

Errors

After Molayne leaves to go and meet Professor Kukui, James's folded arms are resting just on the top of his T-shirt's print of the Masked Royal's mask, but in the next shot, his arms are across the middle of the mask.

In the scene where James, Faba, and the other fans are saying the motto of the Masked Royal, a Psyduck's hair is miscolored orange instead of black.